From Jonathan's official site news -sounds fab will be listening in for sure

It is just wonderful to see that Jonathan is being recognised for the major star he is in the making. G4 as he said in the video (a few posts ago) gave him the experiences that music college can't. It is so difficult to be launched out of these big talent shows & be expected to suddenly know what others have taken months even years to learn. In many ways G4 will be seen as his 'learning ground' for the classical career that really always beckoned for Jonathan. No different for many of us - university education gives you a grounding but it doesn't mean that you can do the job which you are employed to do. You learn & gain experience as you do the job.

Jonathan is of course an intelligent articulate guy who just loves music - who better to DJ. Importantly for Classic Fm he will bring in the younger & less traditional classically minded listener.

I am so looking foward to this.

What I love about Jonathan when he does these types of programmes is that he always gives of himself in them - I loved his BH show when he was chosing his favourite music and all the little snippets of information that he gave about himself and how the music he was choosing had affected him at different times in his life - it drew the listener in and brought the show to life. He's so open and I love that about him.

I do so hope he will be given a television series
Talking about music from films etc and singing
Well I got to have something to daydream about

I like the "and singing" bit goonernatalie....

Wouldnt that just be fabulous!

http://www.sundaymirror.co.uk/showbi...8487-20300451/


I also read it in the News of the World: Entertainment Section - Rav.


I'd love to think it was true. But I wont get too excited just yet - this is the Sunday Mirror and the NOTW!

That will be super if it was true.
Downside is for us fans not seeing him until he returns
Maybe us Jonathan fans can book a holiday that take in the show
Maybe the show can be taken over to London with Jonathan

It does sound a bit far-fetched to be honest. You would think casting would be done on physical resemblance to a young Pavarotti as much as possible............it does seem bizarre a young blonde Englishman being cast to play an Italian I would have thought a young Italian opera singer like Vittorio Grigolo would have been more suitable.

Don't worry, Olga. Lucretia Borgia was blonde. We could just hang onto that very thin thread of reality.

.......VERY thin thread of reality Zip

It's a thread, it's a thread.....better than zilch

I read this today. As you say lets wait & see what his record company/management have to say. In terms of physical appearance I don't think that is an issue - leave it to the costume dept. It will be the voice that secures this role.

I've just read this and don't know what I think? Is this a clever bit of rumour spreading to get a mention of the new album in the red top Sundays? But that seems a bit over the top but maybe someone has put 2 and 2 together and made 8. However there are so many variables - is this a film rather than a stage musical and JA was chosen by Branagh to play in his movie of the Magic Flute which he turned down to stay with G4??

But if it is true then the thing is that it has to be the voice and the charm that gets the role - and yes you would think that someone like Vittorio might be a good choice but didn't he turn down SC and Il Divo ??

However here's a pic http://www.cs.princeton.edu/~san/pavarotti24.jpg

Who knows if anything comes of this but one of the red tops said he was going to audition for Teatro ages ago and that was a load of ..... so we will just have to wait and see

You never know they could have got the wrong tenor in G4. Ben Thapa certainly looks like a young Pavorotti.

You are right - now that would be really funny if they had got the wrong one

That is true it could be Ben
Ben got wonderful voice,he is charming and very good looking
Anyway Jonathan new album going to be top seller
If you listern to the sample tracks its just out of this world

Would love this to be true -Jon has the voice thats for sure ..if it's true we'll probably know soon .

I suspect it is a load of BS - why choose a blonde Englishman to play a young dark Italian ? Even Alfie Boe would have been more suitable as he is at least dark and is already an established opera singer, whereas Jonathan has not really performed opera. As has already been said though, Ben Thapa would be better suited to the role

We can't know if the story is true but we should not assume it's false just because Jon is light haired and English-if it's true the choice will have been all about his voice-all other issues can be overcome if the voice is what they are looking for .Just wish someone would confirm this if it's true.

Jon had said he hoped to tour this summer so if there is truth in this it's happened recently and things must have now changed .

Apparently it is in the Daily Express today as well with more info and who he beat to get the role so it looks more likely - 3 newspapers can't all get it so wrong?? Hope someone can find the full text of the DE as it does not appear to be online.

Includes::

But I expect it will turn up elsewhere any minute now?

Totally agree. As I said earlier this is going to be about 'the voice' not about whether someone has dark hair or not. Jonathan has a vocal range which means he can hit the notes that the great Pavorotti did. I think that some underestimate how talented Jonathan actually is & how this is now being recognised. 3 major record lablels don't go into a bidding war for an also ran classical singer.

I'm not sure he actually said a tour had been planned. He talked about outdoor concerts & wanting to sing live which he can still do.

Thanks to Cathy on Jonathan's official site:

From the Daily Express today:


I wont let myself believe it's true until we have official confirmation - but there may be something afoot to have 3 newspapers talking about it.

His looks have nothing to do with it - makeup and costume can transform a person - it's all about the voice - and without a doubt Jonathan has a fantastic voice with a huge range - which is all important - and I agree with Mayblossom - 3 record companies do not chase someone who doesnt have talent in abundance.

I guess time will tell - whether this particular bit of news is true or not - we shall have to wait and see.

Jonathan didnt actually say "a tour" - he was talking about summer concerts - and there is no reason why he couldnt do it all anyway - the newspaper article says later in the year - Jon could do a tour in April/May.

But still - I am treating this as speculation until we get something official said.

I will buy the paper,and look forward to reading it

Reported also in Daily Mail - Richard Kay column with a quote directly from is manager - Jonathan Shalit.

Having launched a solo career and signed a £1million deal with Universal Music, ex: G4 star Jonathan Ansell has now won a worldwide quest to find an opera singer good enough to portray Luciano Pavorotti in a new stage show.

Ansell 26, whose effortless ability to hit high C's, just like Pavorotti,got him the role, will play the late great tenor in Las Vegas for six months followed by a run at London Palladium. The only problem is he is slim blonde & doesn't look the least bit like the gargantuan Italian. This apparently doesn't matter. "It's amazing what a wig, fake moustache and vast layers of foam can do" explains his manager.Jonathan Shalit. However, when Ansell had his first fat suit fitting, he couldn't reach down to tie up his own shoelaces. Luckily, the shows producer David King was on hand in the casting room to tie them up for him.

I think it is clear that Jonathan was held back by Sony no doubt under the direction of a certain Mr Cowell so that his Popera puppets Il Divo weren't really challenged. He knew the moment he set eyes on Jonathan that he had potential to be a major star but then spent the whole show trying to do G4 down & stopping them going to Universal. At least he now seems to have management & record company fighting his corner.

Snippets of all tracks have been released today. How much has his voice matured in 3 years.

http://www.7digital.com/artists/jona...at-the-movies/